Eighty-five year old entertainer will no longer tour and record

Country singer/songwriter and actor Kris Kristofferson has officially retired from the music industry, Music Row reports. The 84 year old entertainer quietly made the decision in 2020, but just made it public this week as Morris Higham Management (MHM) signs for Estate representation. MHM will work alongside Kristofferson’s son John, who’s helming the family business, with longtime friend and publicist Tamara Saviano, to spearhead special projects moving forward and manage Krisofferson’s KK Records indie label.

“Kristofferson is the artist that every artist strives to be,” says MHM President and Partner Clint Higham. “He is an artist’s artist. If Mount Rushmore had a place for songwriters, Kris would be on it.”

“It’s been amazing to dig in to my dad’s catalog and history with this seasoned group of professionals,” John Kristofferson says. “MHM and Tamara are experts on everything from old Nashville to the up and comers, and I can’t imagine a better partnership to bring the full depth of his songwriting to a new generation. The name has always been synonymous with songwriting as an art, and we’re excited to reintroduce his work to new and old fans alike. We have many exciting projects in the works and I look forward to getting them out into the world.”

Kristofferson has been a professional songwriter since the 1970s, changing the language of country music with his extraordinary internal rhymes and socially progressive subject matter. He’s written hits such as “Me And Bobby McGee” for Janis Joplin, “Help Me Make It Through The Night,” “For The Good Times,” and others. He’s also crossed over to film, winning a Golden Globe in 1977 for Best Actor in A Star Is Born, and starring as a bad guy in the 1997 star-studded Fire Down Below with Steven Segal and Randy Travis.

Kristofferson was inducted into The Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2019, he was awarded The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award by the Country Music Association (CMA). He is also a recipient of the BMI Icon Award and GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award.

Several projects are in the works to celebrate his 85th birthday in June.